Pigeon ?

[bmb3]

Got a coop built. Could not find yb's. I bought ten from a guy that tried to give me some young ones. 3 look older to me. My ? Is how long before they start pairing up? Had them for about 3 wks.

Thanks Brennan

[ezzy333]

They usually pair up around 6 months but it can vary quite a bit for different reasons.

Ezzy

[bmb3]

Thanks ezzy. New to this and not for sure how many hens or cocks I have. I would guess most over 6 months old. Got bowls and some straw in the coop for them.

[SwitchGrassWPG]

Its also possible they will never pair up. I currently have about 40 in a coop and have just 5 pairs. I've had the majority of the birds for 9 mos or more. I've even had some pair up, but never produce eggs... Unless they were mated pairs before you got them, it may take quite a while for them to acclimate to your coop and even then its a crap shoot if they'll produce.

Jay

[CDN_Cocker]

Yep you never know. You can also have males pair with other males and vice versa. When I raced I would purposely pair same sex sometimes.

[ezzy333]

Its also possible they will never pair up. I currently have about 40 in a coop and have just 5 pairs. I've had the majority of the birds for 9 mos or more. I've even had some pair up, but never produce eggs... Unless they were mated pairs before you got them, it may take quite a while for them to acclimate to your coop and even then its a crap shoot if they'll produce.

Jay

Gee, I don't believe it is that bad. After 40 years with them, I have never found one that won't pair up. Sounds like you have a lot more cocks than hens. Of course this time of the year they are molting and not trying to reproduce. And if you have more hens than cocks they will usually pair up, lay eggs but they won't hatch. Bringing them in new might slow them a little but I often have them hatch babies with in a month.

Ezzy

[Garrison]

How big is your loft? May not be enough space.

Its also possible they will never pair up. I currently have about 40 in a coop and have just 5 pairs. I've had the majority of the birds for 9 mos or more. I've even had some pair up, but never produce eggs... Unless they were mated pairs before you got them, it may take quite a while for them to acclimate to your coop and even then its a crap shoot if they'll produce.

Jay

[CCBIRDDOGMAN]

I am new to raising pigeons also, I built a 4'x4' x8' tall coop, purchased six adult birds with no clue what their sex was & stuck em in there. I finished building it & put them in on 8/04, I had eggs by 8/17! Come to find out, I had somehow purchased 3 males & 3 females. Here we are a little over 2 months later & I have 5 babies plus 2 more eggs fixing to hatch this week. I am going to put some fake eggs in there now to see if I can slow em down some till spring. I guess everyone is right, you just never know what they are going to do. I could have just as easily been given all females or all males.

[DonF]

I don't know where you get a fake pigeon egg. If you want to stop them from hatching egg's, hard boil some and put them in the nest in place of the fresh one's.

[CCBIRDDOGMAN]

I ordered them from a pigeon supply website. $6/dozen shipping included.

[ezzy333]

I don't know where you get a fake pigeon egg. If you want to stop them from hatching egg's, hard boil some and put them in the nest in place of the fresh one's.

You can buy wooden eggs real cheap at most pigeon supply houses.

Ezzy

[sdoliver]

Ezzy How long does the molt usually last? I am in Northeast Iowa. I have 13 birds. Should I expect them to nest yet this fall? Some were given to me as mated pairs about 3 weeks ago.

[armand]

Try using a light in your loft be for dark the longer they have light the better your chance of getting eggs late in the year.even better use a timer so your light comes on before daybreak so there's less chance of the parents getting caught off the nest.when the lights go out hope this helps

[ezzy333]

Ezzy How long does the molt usually last? I am in Northeast Iowa. I have 13 birds. Should I expect them to nest yet this fall? Some were given to me as mated pairs about 3 weeks ago.

They might. Do you have a light in the loft. I have been able to get most to pair up if you can leave a light on all night once they are through molting. Just a guess, but probably 4 to 6 weeks would be close.

Ezzy

[bmb3]

Thanks for the replies. My luck I got all hens or all cocks. I will just wait it out and try a light in the coop this fall.

Brennan